Saturday, January 30, 2010

Shirts Off!

What is a "shirts off!" photo are you asking, well basically your hanging out just chillin' with a bunch of your tattoo artist friends and then someone wants to take a photo of you guys and boom! Next thing you know someone screams "shirts off!" and all of your friends are topless and mean mugging the camera. It's pretty amazing to say the least and a photography trend and I am personally all for. I don't think anyone really knows the origin of the "shirts off!" tattoo photos, I just know it is generally the opportunity for a bunch of dudes who sit around all day to rip their shirts off and bare their tattoos for all to see. I know Chad Koeplinger is a big fan of "shirts off!" and so is Horitaka. I also know everytime a group of heavily tattooed guys get together, cameras present or not, clothing will probably start peeling off. The old "I'll show you mine, if you show me yours..." go figure. After writing the last blog, I started thinking...because this is definitely my first "shirts off!" experience...thankfully the yoga's really paying off, I mean did you see my abs? and being surrounded by a dozen dudes, Rubendall excluded, who mostly don't work out probably also helps... Since this is clearly NOT Taki's first "shirts off!" photo I thought I would take this moment to look back and reflect on some of my favorite "shirts off!" moments of Taki and the gang...

shirts off! at the nation's capital!

shirts off! at the National convention in Reno!

shirts off! at Asaksa with Horiyasu

shirts off! at the San Jose tattoo Convention!

PS I'm taking all submissions if you have "shirts off!" photos to add!